Love Hurts

Marvin Gable has put his old life behind him and built a quieter career selling houses, until a former partner shows up with a threatening message that tears his routine apart. That return forces Marvin to reckon with ties he thought were severed, while his brother Alvin, a ruthless crime boss known as Knuckles, pressures him from the other side. As Marvin tries to protect neighbors and a new romance, he has to handle uneasy alliances, sudden violence and the emotional cost of choices he made years ago. The film balances fight sequences with lighter comic moments, keeping secret twists until relationships start changing the stakes.

Released in 2025, Love Hurts is directed by Jonathan Eusebio and based on an original screenplay by Luke Passmore, Matthew Murray and Josh Stoddard, starring Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu, Mustafa Shakir and Lio Tipton, and audiences alike.

The film opened theatrically and found a modest audience, performing strongest in urban markets and genre-driven territories. It relied on word of mouth and streaming windows to extend its run rather than blockbuster ticket sales, and home releases followed later.

While not a mainstream phenomenon, Love Hurts sparked strong conversation about its cast chemistry, especially Ke Huy Quan with Ariana DeBose, and about mixing romantic beats with action comedy. A handful of set-piece scenes and stunt choices prompted fan clips and online debate about tone and style among certain fans.

Critics gave mixed reviews, noting uneven tone but praising the cast's likability; user ratings average around 5.7 out of 10 based on hundreds of votes. Themes include family loyalty, the cost of past mistakes, and how ordinary life clashes with lingering criminal ties. Viewers highlighted standout performances and tonal shifts.